Documentary puts a face on grim statistics of childhood sexual abuse

It’s estimated that one in four girls and one in six boys will be sexually abused before turning 18. Sobering statistics, yet the impact can be diminished when reduced to a calculation.

A different way to highlight the horrors of sexual abuse is the goal of Sasha Joseph Neulinger, director of the documentary “Rewind to Fast-Forward,” and Abbie Newman, CEO and executive director of Mission Kids. They joined NewsWorks Tonight’s Dave Heller to discuss the film and how advocacy for children who were sexually abused has changed in the state of Pennsylvania.

The documentary is composed of home video footage from Neulinger’s childhood when he was sexually abused. Approaching the film as adult has been a form of healing in itself, he said.

“There’s also a huge piece of gratitude and excitement about bringing this story to the screen, because you have adult me and childhood me, and we’re meeting in the process of this film,” he said. “And, in many ways, I’m able to give 5- to 8-year-old Sasha a voice that he never had.”